288 



SWAMP-HARE. 



fore-toes are long, and their claws large and considerably curved ; on 

 the hind-feet, the claws are verj' stout and broad, nearly double the size 

 of those of the Northern hare. 



The tail is rather long for the genus, upturned, and thickly clothed on 

 both surfaces ■wdth long fur. 



Teeth, yellowish- white ; the whole of the upper part of the body light 

 bro\\'nish-yellow, blotched on the surface with black ; in the winter, the 

 whole of the back and the sides of the head, become brownish-black, 

 with here and there a mixture of reddish-brown visible on the surface ; 

 the fur beneath the long hairs is dark plumbeous, tipped with black. 

 The long hairs, when examined singly, are dark-blue at the roots, then 

 light buff, and are pointed with black. Behind the ears, rufous, with a 

 stripe of a similar colour extending to the shoulders. A line around the 

 eyes, light reddish-buff. Upper lip, chin, and belly, white, tinged with 

 blue. Nails, in a winter specimen of a young male, dark-brovioi ; in an 

 old female procured in summer, yellowish ; whiskers, black ; inner sur- 

 face of the ears, light grayish-white ; outer surface, above, edged with 

 black : under surface of the tail, pure white. 



DIMENSIONS. 



(The follow^ing measurements were taken by Dr. Lee, of Alabama, 

 from a specimen in the flesh.) 



Length from point of nose to insertion of tail 

 " of head 

 " of ears, posteriorly 

 Height to shoulder 

 Length of the hind-foot 



" " middle hind-claw 



" of tail (vertebrEe) . 

 " tail, including fur . 

 Weight of a female kUled in the spring, (when suckling its young, and 



not in good condition,) 6 



20 



inches 



4i 



do. 



3i 



do. 



11 



do. 



4i 



do. 



5J 



do. 



2J 



do. 



3 



do. 



bs. 



The habits of this animal are very singular, differing in one remark- 

 able peculiaritjr from those of any other species of hare yet knowTi, with 

 the exception of the marsh-hare. Although the Swamp-Hare is occa- 

 sionally seen on high grounds in the dense forest, it prefers low and 



